SMALL PLATES STILL BIG?

3/31/2011 Tijuana, Mexico Tijuana’s restaurant boom. The city is experiencing a surge in new restaurants, from fine dining places such as Mision 19 in the Rio Zone to suchi carts on the street. Baja cuisine is becoming in across Mexico. Cold Smoked Marlin Tostadas with Tapenade guacamole and Mexican Radish at Mission 19 restaurant in Tijuana. Photo Sean M. Haffey/San Diego Union-Tribune

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3/31/2011 Tijuana, Mexico Tijuana’s restaurant boom. The city is experiencing a surge in new restaurants, from fine dining places such as Mision 19 in the Rio Zone to suchi carts on the street. Baja cuisine is becoming in across Mexico. Cold Smoked Marlin Tostadas with Tapenade guacamole and Mexican Radish at Mission 19 restaurant in Tijuana. Photo Sean M. Haffey/San Diego Union-Tribune

We ask the Superdiners about the allure of small plates: Why should we order mini portions, and where?

Why have smaller portions? A similar question: Why buy an album? Why not listen to singles only? I’m not gonna eat a single entree and assume I understand a chef’s vision. Guests should share many, and embrace the menu as an encompassing experience. Duh. Where am I going for a bunch of smalls? Misión 19 (Misión San Javier 10643, Piso 2, VIA Corporativo, Zona Urbana Río, Tijuana. 52-664-634-2493 or

mision19.com). Eat everything on the first page of their menu. Really. Do it. But, there’s gotta be a better reference …. The ‘tapas’ moniker stigmatizes. The phrase “small plates” seems underwhelming. I was thinking: “Food.” Just call it like it is.

Variety is the spice of life; the same holds true with taste. The success of small plates seems obvious — sharing is the norm these days. After a few bites of the same food, your palate becomes insensitive to that particular taste, so less is more. Plus it’s a great way to build up a diner’s check! Both my chef-partners have great small-plate variety at their restaurants. See Antonio Friscia’s Gaijin Noodle + Sake House (627 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter. 619-238-0567 or

I have two favorites in the small-plates arena: Costa Brava (1653 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach. 858-273-1218 or

costabravasd.com), traditional Spanish tapas done right. Some favorites there are the Jamón Ibérico, choricito frito (sautéed chorizo sausage — I can eat multiple orders of this!) and the stuffed piquillo peppers. My other favorite has to be Delicias Restaurant (6106 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe, 858-756-8000 or deliciasrestaurant.com). The menu here is split between small, medium and large plates. A few of the great dishes are the bison tartare, hamachi crudo, rabbit confit and rib-eye cap steak. The cap steak has Asian flare; its “topping” of kimchee makes the plate.

A place that’s under the radar but does an entire menu of small plates very well is Kecho’s Café (1774 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., Ocean Beach. 619-225-9043 or

kechoscafe.com). The eatery was installed by the owner of OB’s Olive Tree Marketplace, and the bill of fare is made up of Mediterranean classics from his childhood made into tasteful and tasty portions. Their stuffed calamari is epic, as is a dessert called Galaktoboureko (phyllo cylinders stuffed with vanilla custard, drizzled with honey and served with pistachio ice cream) that I’ve only ever seen at this spot, but wish was everywhere.